High pressure steamer

ABSTRACT

High pressure steamer for treating cloth and other textile goods with saturation steam of high temperature and high pressure provided with mechanisms to preserve security and safety operation for preventing dripping onto the cloth being treated, for providing safety guarding on the highly heated and pressurized drum body of the high pressure steamer, for preventing soiling as well as for washing of guide rolls which feed cloth within said drum body, and for regulating tension loaded on the textile goods being fed through guide rolls installed within said drum body.

United States Patent Sando et al.

HIGH PRESSURE STEAMER inventors: Yoshlkazu Sando; Masao Takau, both of Wakayama, Japan Assignee:

Sando Ironworks Company Limited,

Wakayama-shi, Wakayama-ken, Japan Filed:

Feb. 4, 1970 App]. No.: 8,596

Foreign Application Priority Data June 24, 1969 Sept. 20, 1969 Sept. 22, 1969 Nov. 1, 1969 Nov. 20, 1969 US. CL...

Int. Cl

Japan ..44/59950 Japan...

Japan...

Japan...

Japan ..44/93 1 85 ....68/5 E, 34/242 ..D06c H00 [4 1 Mar. 28, 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,041,863 7/1962 Goto ..68/5 E FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,351,732 12/1963 France ..68/5 E Primary Examiner-William i. Price Attorney-Toren and McGeady [57] ABSTRACT High pressure steamer for treating cloth and other textile goods with saturation steam of high temperature and high pressure provided with mechanisms to preserve security and safety operation for preventing dripping onto the cloth being treated, for providing safety guarding on the highly heated and pressurized drum body of the high pressure steamer, for preventing soiling as well as for washing of guide rolls which feed cloth within said drum body, and for regulating tension loaded on the textile goods being fed through guide rolls installed within said drum body.

3 Claims, 23 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MR 2 8 I972 SHEET 02 or 10 FIG.3

. INVENOW- Yosumnzv 59 H PATENTED MR 2 8 I972 SHEET 05 0F 10-.

INVENTORS Yosmwnzu sauna, mwoTmso BYWCMQO MT HTIORNEYS PATENTEDmzs 1972 SHEET UBUF 10 HTTORNEYS PATENTEDMARZMYB 3,651,671

sum mar 10 INVENTORS yosmxnw snww M300 Tvwnw BY Wwwmfl Tuw HTrORNEYS HIGH PRESSURE STEAMER BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a high-pressure steamer for treating cloth or other textile goods with saturation steam of high temperature and high pressure, and more particularly to improvements in mechanisms equipped therewith to preserve security and to maintain safety operation, such as, for preventing dripping of droplets over cloth to be treated, for safety guarding on the highly heated and pressurized drum body of the high pressure steamer, for prevention from soil as well as for washing of guide rolls which serve as the feeding path of cloth within said drum body, and for regulating the tension loaded on textile goods being fed through guide rolls installed within said drum body.

The first object of the present invention is to provide a device for preventing dripping of droplets positioned within the high-pressure steamer, whereby cloth is effectively kept from the dripping and depositing of drain thereon in the course of treatment with highly heated and pressurized saturation steam in said high-pressure steamer.

According to the present invention, it is available for keeping cloth to be treated from being soiled due to dripping drain thereon in the course of steaming treatment in said high-pressure steamer.

The second object of the present invention is to provide a 7 5 tion, saturation steam having the maximum value of 5.5

kgJcmF, is used to be retained in the drum body of said steamer, so that it is desirable to keep the pressure sealing device tightly closed in particular while pressure is accumulated within the high-pressure steamer, since serious danger may occur on the unexpected release of the pressure sealing device caused by sudden interruption in operation resulted from an electricity failure, trouble of compressor or oil pressure pump, or sometimes wrong operation by laborers.

Accordingly, from the aforementioned standpoints of view, the present invention is aimed at the prevention from the foregoing danger by means of provision of security and control circuit in the high-pressure steamer for supplying and discharging steam as well as pressurized oil and compressed air.

The third object of the present invention is to provide a safety device to close the covering shield of a peephole constituted with double window plates in the high-pressure steamer by detecting strain or damage generated on the inner window plate of said hole, variation of pressure accumulated within the empty space between the outer and the inner window plates of said hole or shock on the outer window plate of said hole.

The fourth object of the present invention is to provide a washing device for seal rolls installed at the leading-in and the exit ports of the drum body, respectively; as well as guide rolls equipped within said drum body to be capable of washing in sequential, easy and speedy motion without interrupting operation of the high-pressure steamer, wherein cloth and the like is treated with highly heated and pressurised saturation steam.

The inventors have already developed a method for the continuous treatment of cloth with resin or for the continuous treatment of dyeing cloth, wherein multiple pairs of cloth rods are connected with guiding cloths which are lined with blankets having wiping surfaces on both sides thereof, said guiding cloths and subjected to humidification in the processing stage when they are passing through the groups of. guide rolls within the drying or steaming chamber for resin treatment or dyeing processing of cloth or said guide rolls are humidified before said guiding cloths passing through thereon, and said guide rolls installed at the side of the leading-in port for cloth rods subjected to be driven in such a manner that one of said guide rolls adjacent to said port is terminated in rotational movement in reverse direction, the next adjacent guide roll is subjected to start in reverse turn subsequently and so on by keeping a constant timing in sequence, so as capable to feed continuously multiple pairs of cloth rods without any interruption in operation, thereby soiled guide rolls are washed and cleaned by said guiding cloths, while the present invention is to provide a continuous washing device for seal rolls as well as guide rolls in the high-pressure steamer without interruption in operation, so that it will be clearly understood that remarkable utility will be obtained through the processing of the present invention taking into consideration hitherto known processes in this kinds of apparatus, whereby it has taken several hours for raising temperature and pressure of highpressure steamer up to the predetermined value, or, in reverse, to lower down the temperature and pressure to normal value.

The fifth object of the present invention is to provide the high-pressure steamer characterized by a humidifying device therewithin.

The guide rolls for introducing cloth accommodated within the drum body of the high-pressure steamer are used to be deposited on the surface thereof with dyestuffs, resin and medium agents attaching to cloth to be treated.

When the aforesaid deposits are accumulated and stacked on the surface of guide rolls, said deposits will become the origin which causes fading or blotches of color or other trouble in the color change processing stage, so that said deposits have to be quickly removed from the surface of said guide rolls.

However, in case of the interior of the high-pressure steamer at the processing stage of decreasing an internal pressure of, the drum body, said deposits are sometimes burnt to the surface of rolls, because cooling rate of the temperature of guide rolls and the drum body does not synchronize with decreasing rate of an internal pressure of the drum body, so that it has been experienced to remove said deposits from the surface of rolls after decreasing an internal pressure of the drum body, but it has been found very hard to remove easily.

Accordingly, in order to eliminate the aforementioned drawback, the present invention, as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example in the form of embodiments, provides a humidifying device accommodated within the high-pressure steamer to keep steam in the drum body constantly in humidified condition at the processing stage of decreasing an internal pressure of the drum body, moreover to synchronize cooling rate of the temperature of rolls in the drum body and/or the drum body with decreasing rate of an internal pressure of the drum body whereby to achieve the elimination of the foregoing drawback effectively.

Therefore the present invention is not only to serve for preventing deposits to be burnt to the surface of rolls in the course of decreasing an internal pressure of the drum body or easy removal of deposits at color changing stage, but also is effective for achieving the following purposes: (1) to prevent guide rolls and seal rolls from being soiled, (2) to increase humidity of cloth to be treated, (3) to prevent scarcity of humidity as well as excess heating, and (4) to humidify guiding cloths connecting cloth rods to each other at color changing stage of processing.

The sixth object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for treating textile goods under high temperature and a high-pressure characterized in that during the processing stage to feed textile goods through the upper and the lower guide rollers in a zigzag course within the highly heated and pressurized chamber, adjacent guide rollers positioned in an appropriate distance are selected to be used as drive rollers and dancer rollers are arranged to be disposed between said selected drive rollers, thereby contraction of textile goods is absorbed by said dancer rollers, so that said drive rolls are controlled, wherefore dancer rolls are subjected to be positioned in an allowable range of movement thereof.

In case of treatment for manufacturing with nylon or other filament fabrics by means of high temperature and high-pressure steamer, there occurs large strain and wrinkle caused by heat due to the nature offabric material.

The generation of said wrinkle in treated fabric by heat strain is caused from contraction transversely of the width direction, when treated fabrics of almost all kinds are stretched lengthwise.

Accordingly, when cloth within the high-pressure drum body being treated with heat and being contracted lengthwise in the stage of passing through guide rolls arranged to be disposed at a constant distance, said cloth will become wrinkled just the same as being loaded by tension lengthwise.

The present invention aims at preventing such wrinkle to be generated on textile goods in the course of treatment under high temperature and high pressure.

Generally speaking, textile goods under treatment with heat at a predetermined temperature will become contracted remarkably during scores of seconds from starting period of processing, so that if it could not remove strain properly at that first starting period, it cannot be kept from generating wrinkle. Therefore, in order to carry out the present invention, dancer rollers are arranged between each drive roll at the leading-in port of the drum body of high temperature and high pressure, so as to be capable of absorbing strain quickly which is generated at the starting period of processing, subsequently strain will be absorbed while passing through dancer rollers in a decreasing number thereof.

The seventh object of the present invention is to provide method for adjusting cloth tension characterized in that in the course of feeding cloth through groups of multiple guide rolls by turns within the high-pressure steamer, dancer rolls are arranged to be interposed among said groups of guide rolls, and by detecting the displacement of said dancer rolls, velocity of feeding cloth at the distance to and fro said dancer rolls is controlled so as to decrease displacement value of said dancer rolls.

In general, when cloth is treated under high temperature and high pressure in the course of passing through groups of multiple upper and lower guide rolls within the high-pressure steamer, it is necessary to dispose of unevenness of local cloth tension generated among the group of guide rolls by arranging dancer rolls at an appropriate distance in said groups of guide rolls;

According to the present invention, tension of each small group of guide rolls among multiple groups of guide rolls is investigated by displacement of dancer rolls arranged to be interposed between each said small groups, so as to feedback to the driving mechanism of each small group for adjusting cloth feeding rate of each group. So that cloth tension in the distance of each group is controlled at a constant value in order to maintain a constant position of dancer roll at all times, thereby automatic safety operation of the high-pressure steamer is expected to be secured for a long time.

Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to specific forms of embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, however, the scope of the present invention is not limited by way of embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a high-pressure steamer equipped with means for preventing dripping with droplet relating to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus relating to the present invention showing the essential constituent elements thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 3 showing the underside of said elements taken from the direction of an arrow B indicated;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a control system for security in operation of the high-pressure steamer relating to the present invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are illustrations of a gasket member for manhole doors provided on the high-pressure steamer;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the safety device for a peephole provided on the high-pressure steamer of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of the high-pressure steamer relating to the present invention showing one side of the whole arrangement equipped with the roll washing device;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the above same arrangement showing the process of washing the guide roll;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the feeding device for cloth provided in the high-pressure drum body shown in FIG. 9 illustrating by way of a modified embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of the whole arrangement of the high-pressure steamer equipped with humidifying device (or humidifier) relating to the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of FIG. 12 taken on the line D D in the direction of indicating arrows showing the spraying nozzle provided on said humidifying device;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of the'whole arrangement of the high-pressure steamer accommodating a feeding device of a dancer roll system therewithin relating to the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic illustration of the cloth tension regulating device accommodated within the high-pressure steamer of the present invention;

FIGS. 16 to 18 are diagrammatic showings respectively illustrating fragmental parts of said cloth tension regulating device shown in FIG. 15;

FIGS. 19 to 23 illustrate the tension regulating device utilized in the high-pressure steamer of the present invention respectively, and FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of said tension regulating device, FIG. 20 is a plan view, FIG. 21 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line E-E of FIG. 20, and FIGS. 22 and 23 are, respectively, a fragmental front elevation and a sectional view showing another embodiment of said device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

According to the embodiment 1 represented in FIGS. 1 to 4, wherein there is shown a pair of sealing devices disposed symmetrically, each of said devices comprises a leading-in and exit ports 1, 1 of cloth respectively to and from a high-pressure drum body 2, an elastic diaphragm 3, a seal drum 4 mounted on said elastic diaphragm 3, hard rolls 5, 5 pressedly contacting with said seal drum 4 and another hard rolls 6, 6 pressedly contacting said initial hard rolls 5, 5 respectively and interlocking to rotational movement to each other.

Moreover, an empty space 8 surrounded by peripheries of each of the rolls 5, 6 and the drum 4 to be set off from the exterior communicate with said high-pressure drum body 2 through a slit-shape aperture 9 extending downward to be divergent inside said seal drum 4.

Now then cloth 7 is inserted between rolls 6, 6 to be fed to the empty space 8, subsequently to the inside of the high-pressure drum body 2 passing through the slit-shape aperture 9'. At this stage of process, said cloth 7 is often soiled by the deposit of drain condensed on the peripheries of said rolls 5, 6 and said seal drum 4 respectively.

In order to prevent the foregoing trouble caused by leaking of drain from the above-mentioned seal device to the cloth to be treated, the present invention provides a practical roof having a slit 9 for the passage of cloth at the upper end thereof and open end at its lower surface extends from the empty space 8 through the slit-shape aperture 9' over the dancer roll 1 1 mounted within said high-pressure drum body 2 so as cloth 7 is subjected to be fed directly passing between the rolls 6, 6 and through the slit 9, further downward inside the hood l0 and to be engaged around the dancer roll 11, subsequently after transferred forwardly in upward and downward directions of zigzag course by means of the upper and the lower guide rolls 12 and led into the drum body 2 passing around the dancer roll 11 and the exit port 1' of the seal device, said exit port 1' is provided with a hood similar to the one fixed to the leading-in port 1.

Furthermore, in order to prevent cloth fed through the guide rolls 12 from being soiled by condensed drop of drain, a covering shield 13 is installed over the group of the guide rolls [2 extending between the hoods 10 and 10'.

The hoods 10, 10' and the covering shield 13 are provided with V-shaped troughs 14, 14' and 15 respectively at their lower edge on both sides for keeping the cloth from being soiled by droplets at said lower edge on both sides of the hoods and the covering shield.

The troughs 15 of the covering shield 13 are, as shown in the drawings, arranged to be disposed under one of the troughs 14 of the hoods 10 and 10 respectively so as to be available for receiving droplets overflowing from said trough 14 while the troughs 15 are provided along the lower edges thereof with heater pipes 16 of steam supplied therethrough in order to prevent overflowing ofdroplet therefrom.

According to the embodiment 2 represented in FIGS. 5 to 7, reference is now made, particularly to FIG. 5, as follows:

A. Movements at the start of operation:

a. An opening port of the drum body 101 used as a manhole 102 is closed, subsequently an electromagnetic valve 104 provided on the steam header 103 is opened for pressing the gasket member to be fitted to said manhole.

b. The reference numeral 105 designates the bypass which is installed along the foregoing pipeline and is normally closed and the steam valves 106, 108 are opened respectively, the reducing valve 107 is appropriately operated to adjust the pressure for pressing said gasket member. At this stage of operation, the pressure of steam is checked up by the pressure switch 167 in the condition to maintain an optimum pressure for pressing said gasket member and to actuate the main electromagnetic valve 134 to be opened through the feedback circuit 168 as well as the exhaust electromagnetic valves 156 and 160 are simultaneously to be closed.

c. Then an oil pressure pump 112 is actuated for pressing the sealing side plates 109 of the pressure sealing device to the rolls 110, 111 at their outer peripheries and for feeding pressure oil to the oil pressurized cylinder at the pressure loading side 115 thereof passing through the first reducing valve 113 and operating the electromagnetic operative valve 1 14. At this stage, oil pressure is checked up by the pressure switch 169 whether it be maintained in an optimum condition and the main electromagnetic valve 134 is actuated to be opened through feedback circuit 170 simultaneously with closing of the exhaust electromagnetic valves 156 and 160.

In the drawing of FIG. 5, the reference numeral 116 designates a check valve, 117 is a stop valve, 118 is an electromagnetic valve, 119 is an accumulator, 120 is the secondary reducing valve, 121 is an oil pressure gauge respectively and each of the foregoing members on their action will be elucidated in the following passages:

d. The main air pipe 122 is installed to close the roll nip in the pressure sealing device and compressed air is supplied to an air cylinder 124 at the pressure loading side 125 thereof through said main air pipe 122 by actuating the electromagnetic operative valve 123 resulted to close said roll nip. At this stage, air pressure is checked up by the pressure switch 171 for maintaining an optimum condition as well as the main electromagnetic valve 134 is actuated to be opened through feedback circuit 172 simultaneously actuated for closing the exhaust electromagnetic valves 156 and 160.

The reference numeral 126 designates an opening action side of an air cylinder, 127 is a bypass valve, 128 is a check valve, 129 is an electromagnetic valve, 130 is an accumulator, 131 is a reducing valve, 132 is a pressure gauge respectively, each of the foregoing members will be described on their action in the following passages:

e. As is explained in the above-mentioned passage, in case an optimum pressure is not checked up in any of the door gasket portion, an oil pressure circuit or an air pressure circuit in the opened condition of the main steam valve 133, steam could not be supplied within the drum body, since the electromagnetic valve 134 being closed. Moreover, in case, any of the electromagnetic operative valves 114, 123 and the electromagnetic valve 104 are not actuated on the pressure loading side, an electrical interlocking operation is carried out for closing the electromagnetic valve 134 as well as for opening the electromagnetic valves 156 and 160 respectively.

B. Movement in case of normal stop in operation:

When the operation is stopped in the normal condition due to a conclusion of work or any other reasons, the main feed-in steam valve 133 is closed, while the eduction valve and the drain valve 158 are opened respectively for discharging steam from the inside of the drum body. At this stage, an internal pressure of said drum body is checked up by the pressure switch 173, and when an internal pressure of the drum body is equivalent to the atmospheric pressure, the electromagnetic valves 118 and 129 are opened and the pressure sealing device is released by means of action of the electromagnetic operative valves 114 and 123. At the same time of the process, the pressure switch 173 checks up an internal pressure of the drum body to be equivalent to the atmospheric pressure as well as to open a circuit for releasing operative interlocking between the electromagnetic valve 104 and the electromagnetic operative valves 114 and 123.

C In case movement being stopped due to some troubles:

a. When the pressure switches 169 and 111 have checked up either oil or air pressure has not maintained the predetermined pressure due to an electricity failure or some other troubles, the electromagnetic valve 134 is closed while other electromagnetic valves 156 and are opened through each of feedback circuits and 172.

At the same time, the electromagnetic valves 118 and 129 are closed respectively and the pressure reserved in each of the accumulators are supplied to corresponding cylinder so as the pressure sealing device will not be released until an internal pressure of the drum body being equivalent to the atmospheric pressure.

b. When the whole mechanical system being urgently stopped due to some troubles whatever in spite of an oil and an air pressure being in normal condition, the electromagnetic valve 134 is closed upon pushing an emergency button while other electromagnetic valves 156 and 160 are opened to result in establishing a circuit for exhausting an internal pressure of the drum body.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 141 is a main valve of the steam header 103 provided at the side of steam inlet, 142 is a main valve of indirect pipeline for heater, 175, 176 and 178 are sluice valves respectively, 177 is a magnet valve, 179 is tranjet type pressure controller, those of which are arranged to keep steam pressure supplied to an indirect heaters 174 and 174 at an optimum value respectively by means of on-off control system.

By the way, the indirect heater is installed for the purpose of preventing from dripping with drain. In addition, the reference numeral 143 is a safety valve for the steam header, 144 is a pressure gauge of the steam header, 145 is a sluice valve for bypass of drain discharging passage from the steam header, 149, 149 are sluice valves respectively for said drain discharg ing passage, 147 is a strainer, 148 is a steam trap and 150 is a drainpipe, the assembly of the foregoing constituent elements represents a pipeline system for discharging stagnant drain automatically from the steam header. The reference numeral 152 is a safety valve for the drum body, 153 is a underblow pipe, 154, 155, 158, 159 and 161 are sluice valves respectively, 157 is an eduction pipe, 162 is a strainer, 164 is a galvanometer, 165 is a blow pipe for overflowing water, 166 is an overflow pipe, those elements of which are adapted to lead drain or exhaust air out of the drum body. The reference numeral is an automatic pressure control gauge, 181 is a pressure detecting terminal and the internal pressure of the drum is subjected to be tested at the pressure tester 180 wherefrom signal is transmitted to said ten'ninal 181, thereby controlled automatically relative to the presettled working pressure. The reference numeral 137 is a diaphragm valve, 136 is a strainer, 138, 151, 135 are sluice valves respectively and 139 is a check valve.

- In case urgent interruption for operation caused by troubles such as an electricity failure or others, the magnet valve 156 and 160 are respectively released for discharging steam from the drum body while the other magnet valve 134 is closed to stop feeding-in of steam, however, the period of duration for the internal pressure of the drum being equivalent to the atmospheric pressure will be variable due to dimensions of the drum, that. is, in case of bigger dimensions thereof, it will take lcinger time in the range from 10 to 30 minutes. Accordingly, the pressure sealing device is subjected to be closed in said duration and the circuit is arranged in connection for maintaining the internal pressure of the cylinder at the predetermined value for the predetermined period by using accumulators l 19 and 130 for oil pressure as well as air pressure.

At the instance of trouble being occurred, the magnet vulves 118 and 129 are closed respectively and countercurrent of the pressure within each of cylinders does not take place influenced by the sluice valves 117 and 127 together with the check valves 116 and 128, thereby pressure-loading power within each of cylinders is maintained until the pressure kept on within the accumulators 119 and 130 being exhausted. In other words, the pressure sealing device will not be released until the internal pressure of the drum will be equivalent to the atmospheric pressure through the foregoing circuit.

Now it will be explained with reference to the constitution of gasket portion of a manhole in the following passage. In FIG. 6, the reference numeral 101 represents a drum body, 102 is a door of manhole, 103 is an otiter wheel of a clutch, 104 is claws ofa clutch, 105 is a gasket, 106 is a groove engaging with said gasket, 107 is a leading-in port for steam, said manhole door 102 is securely fixed to said drum body 101 by means of claws provided on the outer wheel 103 of the clutch and all power loading on said door'effected by the internal pressure of the drum is supported by said claws 104 of the clutch.

Gasket 105 in a V-shaped form is engaged within the groove 106 provided on the drum body 101 and is thrust out towards the manhole door 102 by the steam pressure led from the leading-in port for steam, so as to be pressed to said door tightly in order to keep offleaking of steam within the drum body. I

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of claws of clutch and the manhole door is adapted to be opened when convex ahd concave portions of said claws are subjected to meet each other, while in case bf closing said door, the outer wheel 103 is angularly rotated relative to the position where the convex and concave portions on each claw of clutches are turned out to face oppositely each other. In FIG. 5, the reference symbol C designates steam source. 1

According to the embodiment 3 with reference to FIG. 8 wherein a tubular body 214 is hermetically sealed to be in engagement within a hole provided at one side of the drurn body 213 of the high-pressure steamer, another tubular body 204 having a flange is also hermetically fitted in engagement within said tubular body 214 to be inserted therein leaving the flange to stay outside thereof and a valve seat 203 is screwed in at the inner end of said tubular body 204.

Glass plates 208, 209 for a peephole are fixed on the outer surface of the flange provided around the outer end of the tubular body 204 by means of glass holding blocks 205,206 while the butterfly valve 201 is pivotally fixed to the valveseat 203 screwed in at the inner end of said tubular body 204 by means ofa hinge 217 so as to be able to close the open end of the tubular body 204.

In the normal condition, the butterfly valve 201 is, as shown in the drawing,.stuck fast to the magnet 202 secured to the drum body 213 at the inner surface thereof so that the interior of said drum body 213 is available to be peeped in through glass plates 208, 209.

If the inner glass plate 209 should, by any chance, be broken down under the influence of the internal pressure of the drum, air accumulated within the empty space 215 formed between glass plates 208 and 209 as well as steam flown into said empty space 215 from the interior of the drum will be spouted out through the porthole 216 provided on the underside of the glass plate holding block 205 so as to establish connection in said empty space 215 with outer air. Moreover, at the upper side of the glassplate holding block 205, a detecting rod 210 is slidably inserted into the hole provided to communicate the outside with the empty space 215, so that said detecting rod 210 is adapted to be pushed upward by virtue of; power generated by air and steam spouting through the porthble 216 respectively and the limit switch 211 is actuated by means of movement of said rod 210 to crit an electric source for hiagnet 202 causing the butterfly valvei201 to swivel downward about the hinge 217 due to its own weight to be in engagement with the valve seat 203 under the '.nfluence of a stream of burst steam resulting in to intercept said spouting steam.

The aforementioned operation of the limit switch 211 is to actuate simultaneously an operative circuit for individually installed discharge valve for steam accumulated within the drum to stop motion of the machine as well as to discharge steam rapidly out of the drum.

The limit switch 211 may be available either of contact element or noncontract element.

The distance between glass plates 208 and 209 should be limited to the least spacing within the extent of the smallest acceleration of fragment of glass plate 209 so as to be able to avoid the other glass plate 200 being broken simultaneously with said glass plate 209 in the form of fragment which might be collided with the other glass plate 208 in case of breakage of the glass plate 209.

Reference numeral 207 designates a safely cover for preventing outward spouting of steam, 212 isa plug for connecting wire of magnets. I

In this case, coil of magnet 202 is formed in .the shape of H- type insulation (200 C. max.) and as an electric source for activity is used an electric source of low voltage, direct current estimated to the extent of 6V which will not endanger the human body.

In the aforementioned embodiment, the peep-in hole is adapted to be closed by means of the butterfly valve 201 resulting from testing conversion of pressure presented between the glass plates 208 and 209, however, such process as mentioned below may be adopted in place of said testing procedure, for example, that substituting process is carried out is such a manner as a strain gauge is put up on the outer surface of the glass plate 209, that is, the surface on the side of the empty space 215, and said strain gauge is connected to Wheatstones bridge for closing said peep-in hole through an electric current which is charged by virtue of unbalancing of said bridge caused by variation of resistance in said strain gauge upon straining of said glass plate 209, besides the foregoing process, the butterfly valve 201 will be controlled through other process for testing strain as well as damage of the glass plate 209 or another process for testing shock located to the glass plate 208.

According to the embodiment 4 with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11 wherein cloth 301 is fed into the drum body 303 of the high pressure steamer, as shown in FIG. 9, through the pres sure sealing device 302 located at the side of leading-in port, subsequently to be passed in the zigzag manner through the upper and the lower guide rolls 304, during said zigzag feeding, said cloth 301 is treated to hot humidification with highly pressured, hot saturation steam and is led out of the pressure sealing device 306 disposed at the exit port side of said drum body after passing through a liquid reservoir 305.

In case of dyeing procedure or treatment with resin, it is necessary to carry out periodical washing of seal rolls 307 and guide rolls 304 as well as washing seal rolls 307 and guide rolls 304 in every stage of changing color of pigment in the dyeing procedure for cloth rolled in a small rod, since the dyestuffs or resin mixed with impurities such as burrs of fabric and other particle of dust might happened to be deposited and accumulated on the outer surface of seal rolls 307 mounted on said sealing devices 302, 306 or guide rolls 304 for a long while whereby causing difficulties in normal treatment in good order. Reference numeral 307 represents an intermediary rolls, 307" is seal blocks having an aperture for cloth to be passed therethrough respectively secured to the leading-in and the exit ports of the drum body and 307" designates plates fitted in the drum body for preventing dripping of droplets.

According to the present invention, the sealing devices 302 and 306 are equipped with shower devices 308 respectively arranged on the right and the left hand sides therewithin on both side of plates 307" for preventing dripping of droplets in order to spray cleaning liquid over the outer surfaces of seal rolls 307, and other shower devices 309 disposed on both sides in the longitudinal direction of guide rolls 304 for spraying cleansing liquid over the outer surfaces of said guide rolls.

In case of dyeing or changing color of cloth 301 by each rod, process for washing rolls or preventing rolls from being soiled is carried out, for instance, in such a manner that a guiding cloth, such as the one attached with sponge sheet on the outer surface thereof, having an appropriate length to be used as a wiper is connected between adjacent rods, said guiding cloth is introduced into the drum body 303 of the high pressure steamer to be slidably abrasive with both seal rolls 307 and guide rolls 304 simultaneously to spray cleansing liquid over the outer surface of rolls from said shower devices 308 and 309.

In the foregoing operation, it is advantageous in carrying out continuous treatment of cloth, if it be adopted such process for sequential feeding of cloth in timely interruption or reverse from guide rolls arranged at the leading-in port.

The above described liquid reservoir 305 is normally filled with cool or hot water, so that cloth or said guiding cloth passing through guide rolls 304 is subjected tobe washed and cooled thereby effectively preventive of seal rolls 307 located adjacent to the exit port from being soiled.

FIG. 11 shows an example of process to feed cloth being suspended on guide rolls 304 transversely aligned in a row, said cloth of which looks like in hanging condition, and said liquid reservoir 305 is utilized to serve as a piler.

According to embodiment with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 wherein the reference numerals 311, 311' are the pressure sealing device respectively, 317 is cloth to be treated, 312 is the drum body. 313 represents inner guide rolls, 314 is a spraying pipe, 315 is a pump, 316 is a reservoir available to be filled with either hot water, cleansing liquid, or any other liquids. The spraying pipe 314 is fixed to any optional position within said drum body.

Now the operation according to the present invention will be explained in reference to the stage for decreasing an internal pressure of the drum body as follows:

As soon as an internal pressure of the drum body is being decreased, pressurized hot or cool water is sprayed through the spraying pipe 314 by means of a pump 315 to humidify steam within the drum as well as to prevent rolls from being dried on the surface thereof in order to keep the deposit from being burnt to the surface of said rolls.

According to the embodiment 6 with reference to FIG. 14 wherein cloth 401 is subjected to be fed within the drum body 403 of high temperature and high pressure passing through the pressure sealing device 402, said drum body 403 is provided with a multitude of the upper and the lower guide rollers 404 therein and said cloth 401 is adapted to be treated with heat while the same is passing over guide rollers 404 in zigzag course.

Among the above-mentioned guide rollers 404, some rollers spaced to each other at an appropriate distance are preferred to serve as drive rollers 405 which are positioned in the upper row of said guide rollers, as shown in the drawing, and

distance between adjacent drive rollers are defined alternately at the inlet for cloth, then every two others, and subsequently spaced every three or four others.

Moreover dancer rollers 406 selected from interposing guide rolls between drive rollers 405 and, as shown in the drawing, dancer roller 406 is preferred one of said guide rollers positioned in the lower row between each drive roller 405 is used as a dancer roller 406, furthermore a dancer roller 406' is arranged beyond the first drive roller 405.

According to the present invention, cloth is subjected to be fed in zigzag course within the drum body of high temperature and high pressure passing through guide rollers and cloth tension is interrupted at each distance between said drive rollers 405, while dancer roller 406 is provided additionally at the position between said drive rollers 405, whereby cloth tension at each distance between said adjacent drive roller 405 is subjected to be absorbed by said dancer roller 406.

Moreover, drive roller 405 stated above is adapted to be driven independently so as to serve as dancer roller 406 which will act effectively to absorb tension loaded on cloth and is controlled in it activity to the allowable range of movement, such control may be attributed to the control of the drive roller 405 corresponding to the movement of dancer roller 406.

Cloth treated with high temperature in zigzag course of feeding by passing around guide rolls 404 is subjected to make its exit from the drum 403 of high temperature and high pressure, after passing the outlet sealing device 407.

According to the embodiment 7 with reference to FIGS. 15 to 18 wherein cloth A is fed toward the direction indicated by an arrow W passing over the upper guide rolls 501 501" and the lower guide rolls 502 502" in zigzag course, the upper guide rolls are divided into two groups, one group of which contains 501 and 501, while the other group contains 501", 501" and 501"" and underneath of each group, dancer roll 503 is positioned in place of a corresponding guide roll.

At this time, cloth tension is decided due to the load influenced by dancer roller 503 and displacement of dancer roll 503 is examined for controlling and changing velocity of each group so as to be able to decrease the extent of displacement of dancer roll. For instance, when dancer roll 503 is displaced upward in excess of the predetermined critical value, feeding velocity of guide roll in the group 501 501 is accelerated than feeding velocity of group 501" 501"" to move back said dancer roll 503 to its initial position and when dancer roll 503 is displaced downward beyond the predetermined critical value, control operation is carried out in reverse direction to the foregoing operation so that cloth tension is influenced by downward directed power 2W of dancer roll 503, thereby cloth is fed maintaining constant positioned course.

In order to control velocity of guide roll in each group by taking out the displacement of said dancer roll 503 from the high pressure steamer, it is necessary to take out the rocking shaft from said high pressure steamer with the fixing arm of said dancer roll 503 being secured.

In such a manner as mentioned above, a shaft sealing means is used to keep steam from leaking from the high pressure container to the outside when said shaft is taken out through the hole opened on the wall of the high pressure container, however, general shaft sealing means such as, for instance, grand packing process is carried out, resistance for rotation (rocking of shaft) is generated in a remarkably large amount caused by shaft clamping force required for sealing thereof and the posi tion of dancer roll will never be displaced even if cloth to be treated becomes loosened after upward displacement of said dancer roll, if weight 2W is not large enough which will cause impossibility of control.

Based upon the foregoing reason, if dancer roller is given sufficiently large weight 2W, it will be resulted in large tension to be loaded on cloth, so that it cannot be available for treatment of fabric, such as made of nylon filament which has to be treated by delicate adjustment. For instance, in case of nylon filament be used for treatment, tension is said to be defined within kg. to the full width, it has to be selected a suitable process which will cause resistance of shaft rotation (rocking motion) to the minimum value, Such an appropriate device for shaft sealing is a hitherto known mechanical seal.

In FIG. 16, the reference numeral 503 designates dancer roll, 504 is the fixing arm of said dancer roll, said fixed arm 504 is secured to the dancer shaft 505, the front end of which is inserted through mechanical seal 506 and is projected out from the wall 507 of the drum body.

Balancing weight 508 and variable member 509 against dancer roll are mounted respectively at the front end of the shaft 505 which is projecting out to the outside of the drum body, and by means of up and down movement of dancer roll 503, that is, rocking movement of the variable member 509, resistance in torque motor circuit for driving group of 501 501 and other group of 501" 501"" among groups of guide rolls become variable whereby desirable object could be achieved.

The other method for controlling velocity of said groups through examining the position of said shaft maybe carried out in such a manner as shown in FIG. 17, that the dancer shaft 505 is supported by the bearing securely mounted within the drum body and non-contact relay 510 is provided at the outside of the drum body to be oppositely facing to said shaft 505 for examining continuously and accurately the rocking movement of the dancer shaft 505 from the outside of the drum body wall 507, excluding the piercing-through shaft being inserted into the drum body wall 507 of the high pressure steamer.

In FIGS. 16 and 17, displacement of dancer roll is examined by using dancer roll and feedback to cloth velocity, while in FIG. 18 cloth feeding velocity can be controlled to unify cloth tension in constancy in such a manner that the load converter 511 is fixed to be in contact with the undersurface of an appropriate guide roll selected from the upper guide rolls 501 501"" to examine load influenced on said selected roll, that is to say, cloth tension and to feed back signal of cloth tension to servomotor for driving guide roll of each group.

In this case, strain gauge having feature of adequate heatproof and ample endurance is used as a load converter 511 to transmit variation of pressure by an electric signal for controlling velocity of guide rolls of each group.

According to the embodiment 8 with reference to FIGS. 19 to 24, cloth tension regulating device installed in cloth dyeing machine is illustrated wherein tension of feeding cloth is capable of being adjusted automatically as well as manually.

In hitherto known dyeing machine, tension of feeding cloth is regulated by adjusting velocity of rotation either of reducing mangle disposed on the cloth feeding side beyond and behind the group of dancing rollers or of reducing mangle disposed on the cloth discharging side, however, said process is attended by such drawback as to carry neither precise nor effective regulation for tension.

The present embodiment is to aim at elimination of the foregoing drawback and is comprised with tension roller for cloth pivoted at one end of the arm which has a fulcrum at the supporting shaft, so as to be pivotably movable on both ends thereof in the opposite direction to each other, and a weight slidable between the other end of said arm and said fulcrum, said weight is driven slidably on the arm by means of either servomotor mounted on said arm or manual operation.

According to a tension regulating device of the present embodiment, if the weight being moved far from the supporting shaft, the arm is influenced under the principles of lever to decrease tension loaded on cloth, but in reverse when the weight is moved closer near to the supporting shaft, tension is increased (in case, cloth being arranged in a reverse direction, tension loaded on cloth will be decreased by moving the weight close near to the supporting shaft and tension will be increased by moving the weight far from the supporting shaft).

In such a manner as mentioned above, cloth tension is adjusted by moving the position of the weight and the foregoing ad ustment characterized in carrying out easily and speedy as well as precisely by means of automatic or manual operation.

Operation for adjusting cloth tension will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIGS. 19 to 21, the reference numeral 601 designates a supporting shaft securely fixed to a frame (not shown in the drawing), said supporting shaft 601 is secured to the am 602 and 602 at one end thereof respectively, the other end of said arm 602 is pivoted by tension roller 603 for cloth. The weight 604 is engaged with the other arm 602 to be slidable therealong and also engaged with a rod 605 having gears on both ends thereof which is arranged to be parallel to said arm 602 and is driven to be rotatable by means of servomotor 606 through the reduction gear 607. So that according to the normal or reverse direction of rotation of said servomotor 606, the weight 604 is capable of sliding along the arm 602.

FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate another embodiment of the weight 604 showing its sliding mechanism and the arm 608 corresponding to the foregoing arm 602 is formed with rack 609 to be engageable with pinion 610 which is secured to the weight 604' by the pivot 611. Accordingly, when the pivot 611 is rotated by the handle 612, the pinion 610 is subjected to rotation in engagement with the rack 609 causing horizontal movement of the weight 604'.

According to the foregoing embodiment, the weight for regulating cloth tension is adjusted of its movement by means of operation for rotation of the rod with gears driven by the motor or the pinion engaging with the rack, whereby precise adjustment of the weight is carried out easily and speedily, thereby resulted in achieving an effective tension regulation.

What is claimed is:

l. A high pressure steamer for treating textile goods comprising a closed drum body, wherein the improvement comprises a humidifying device located within said drum body for humidifying the textile goods being passed through said drum body, a pair of seal devices secured to said drum body in spaced relationship thereon with one said seal device forming a textile goods inlet to said drum body and the other said seal device forming a textile goods outlet from said drum body, each said seal device comprising a pair of seal rolls positioned exteriorly of said drum body, a plurality of guide rolls positioned within said drum body over which the textile goods being treated therein are fed, said humidifying device comprising a washing device for humidifying textile goods with hot saturated steam under high pressure, said washing device comprising a shower device located in each of said seal devices for washing said seal rolls therein at the inlet and the outlet of the textile goods to said drum body, and another shower device positioned within said drum body for washing said guide rolls used for feeding the textile goods through said drum body, and a liquid reservoir located within said drum body and arranged for the passage therethrough of the textile goods before they exit through the outlet formed by the other said seal device.

2. A high pressure steamer, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a hood extends from each said seal device into said drum body and is arranged to enclose the textile goods passing from said seal rolls into said drum body for protecting the textile goods entering and leaving said drum body from drippings from said shower device for washing said seal rolls.

3. A high pressure steamer, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that a covering shield is located within said drum body over said guide rolls and extends from said hood at the textile goods inlet to said drum body to said hood at the textile goods outlet from said drum body for protecting said textile goods being fed through said drum body by said guide rolls from drippings passing downwardly into said drum body from the seal devices forming the textile goods inlet and outlet.

Patent No 3,651,671 Dated March 28, 1972 Inventor) YOSHIKAZU SANDO and MASAO TAKAU It is ceftified that error appears in the above-idefitified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading of the patent, the name of inventor MASAO TAKAU should read -MASAO TAKASU-- Signed and sealed this 11th day of July 1972.

. (SEAL) Atte st:

EDWARD M.FLETC1IER,JR. ROBERT GOI'TSCHALK Attes ting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM Po-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U. 5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE S Q59 0"3Q'IQ 

1. A high pressure steamer for treating textile goods comprising a closed drum body, wherein the improvement comprises a humidifying device located within said drum body for humidifying the textile goods being passed through said drum body, a pair of seal devices secured to said drum body in spaced relationship thereon with one said seal device forming a textile goods inlet to said drum body and the other said seal device forming a textile goods outlet from said drum body, each said seal device comprising a pair of seal rolls positioned exteriorly of said drum body, a plurality of guide rolls positioned within said drum body over which the textile goods being treated therein are fed, said humidifying device comprising a washing device for humidifying textile goods with hot saturated steam under high pressure, said washing device comprising a shower device located in each of said seal devices for washing said seal rolls therein at the inlet and the outlet of the textile goods to said drum body, and another shower device positioned within said drum body for washing said guide rolls used for feeding the textile goods through said drum body, and a liquid reservoir located within said drum body and arranged for the passage therethrough of the textile goods before they exit through the outlet formed by the other said seal device.
 2. A high pressure steamer, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a hood extends from each said seal device into said drum body and is arranged to enclose the textile goods passing from said seal rolls into said drum body for protecting the textile goods entering and leaving said drum body from drippings from said shower device for washing said seal rolls.
 3. A high pressure steamer, as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that a covering shield is located within said drum body over said guide rolls and extends from said hood at the textile goods inlet to said drum body to said hood at the textile goods outlet from said drum body for protecting said textile goods being fed through said drum body by said guide rolls from drippings passing downwardly into said drum body from the seal devices forming the textile goods inlet and outlet. 